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LeRoux Manor
Camille's father just inherited the family manor from his estranged uncle, forcing her to leave her friends and city life just before her senior year of high school for the small town of Woodville, England. After seeing a strange old woman lurking on the estate grounds, she embarks on a mission to uncover the history of her new home. What she finds is wilder than she could have imagined-the murder of her ancestor, Caleb LeRoux, on the same day his six-year-old daughter vanished without a trace. And an unforeseen connection to Camille herself, as the only female LeRoux born to the family in over two hundred years. With the help of her new school friends, Camille delves into the secrets of the manor, uncovering an all-encompassing truth that will change the entire course of her life-past, present, and future.
- GenresHorror
313 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2020
5 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
About the author
Liz Butcher
18 books46 followersLiz Butcher resides in Australia, with her husband, daughter, and their cats. Zeus, Sirius and Luna. She’s a self-confessed nerd with a BA in psychology and an insatiable fascination for learning. When she’s not writing or spending time with her family, Liz enjoys road trips, astronomy, music and knitting.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 17, 2020
‘Welcome to your new home. LeRoux Manor’ – An excellent sinister novel!
Australian author Liz Butcher earned her degree in psychology, has served as Executive Assistant at the author resource center Horror Tree, and has written short stories that have been published in ten excellent anthologies. Her novels to date include FATE’S FURY, her impressive debut, AFTER DARK, her own collection of short stories, and now LE ROUX MANOR. She grows with each publication, becoming a novelist at the beginning of a fine career. She lives in Brisbane, Australia.
Written for the teen and Young Adult audience, Liz manages to grasp the readers attention with a telling Prologue that offers the nidus for the strange tale, from another time, that follows – ‘Mena sat on the soft on the soft green grass, shaded by the old oak tree against which she rested. The long skirt of her sky-blue, satin party dress – now ruined – billowed out around her. A smile danced across her face as she stroked the cat in her lap…Raising her hand, she pressed her thumb to her finger, marveling at the stickiness of the blood…’ and slowly her father comes in to the picture and Mena’s end is imminent.
The presence of Mena’s death, as suggested above, is made clear as the strange and very dark story proceeds. ‘Camille LeRoux stared out the window of their hired car and stifled a yawn. After the past twenty-four hours of traveling, they were almost there – their new home. her father drove them down the main street of Woodville, and Camille scanned the different shop names, catching glimpses of signs and storefront windows...She could seen enough to determine there wasn’t a single franchise on the whole street – no Zarraffas Coffee, no Dymocks Books, none of her favourite clothing stores.’ Entry into this new locale is accompanied by a series of very strange discoveries and events.
Liz paces this novel very well indeed, and the plot is summarized as follows – ‘Camille’s father just inherited the family manor from his estranged uncle, forcing her to leave her friends and city life just before her senior year of high school for the small town of Woodville, England. After seeing a strange old woman lurking on the estate grounds, she embarks on a mission to uncover the history of her new home. What she finds is wilder than she could have imagined—the murder of her ancestor, Caleb LeRoux, on the same day his six-year-old daughter vanished without a trace. And an unforeseen connection to Camille herself, as the only female LeRoux born to the family in over two hundred years. With the help of her new school friends, Camille delves into the secrets of the manor, uncovering an all-encompassing truth that will change the entire course of her life—past, present, and future.’
As with her other stories Liz impresses as an obviously gifted artist who knows how to blend human drama with horror. Very highly recommended.
Australian author Liz Butcher earned her degree in psychology, has served as Executive Assistant at the author resource center Horror Tree, and has written short stories that have been published in ten excellent anthologies. Her novels to date include FATE’S FURY, her impressive debut, AFTER DARK, her own collection of short stories, and now LE ROUX MANOR. She grows with each publication, becoming a novelist at the beginning of a fine career. She lives in Brisbane, Australia.
Written for the teen and Young Adult audience, Liz manages to grasp the readers attention with a telling Prologue that offers the nidus for the strange tale, from another time, that follows – ‘Mena sat on the soft on the soft green grass, shaded by the old oak tree against which she rested. The long skirt of her sky-blue, satin party dress – now ruined – billowed out around her. A smile danced across her face as she stroked the cat in her lap…Raising her hand, she pressed her thumb to her finger, marveling at the stickiness of the blood…’ and slowly her father comes in to the picture and Mena’s end is imminent.
The presence of Mena’s death, as suggested above, is made clear as the strange and very dark story proceeds. ‘Camille LeRoux stared out the window of their hired car and stifled a yawn. After the past twenty-four hours of traveling, they were almost there – their new home. her father drove them down the main street of Woodville, and Camille scanned the different shop names, catching glimpses of signs and storefront windows...She could seen enough to determine there wasn’t a single franchise on the whole street – no Zarraffas Coffee, no Dymocks Books, none of her favourite clothing stores.’ Entry into this new locale is accompanied by a series of very strange discoveries and events.
Liz paces this novel very well indeed, and the plot is summarized as follows – ‘Camille’s father just inherited the family manor from his estranged uncle, forcing her to leave her friends and city life just before her senior year of high school for the small town of Woodville, England. After seeing a strange old woman lurking on the estate grounds, she embarks on a mission to uncover the history of her new home. What she finds is wilder than she could have imagined—the murder of her ancestor, Caleb LeRoux, on the same day his six-year-old daughter vanished without a trace. And an unforeseen connection to Camille herself, as the only female LeRoux born to the family in over two hundred years. With the help of her new school friends, Camille delves into the secrets of the manor, uncovering an all-encompassing truth that will change the entire course of her life—past, present, and future.’
As with her other stories Liz impresses as an obviously gifted artist who knows how to blend human drama with horror. Very highly recommended.
Read
August 31, 2020Le Roux Manor is set in Woodville England and begins with Camille Le Roux, an only child and a year 11 student from Melbourne Australia, bemoaning the fact that she and her family are relocating to England to live in an old Manor that her parents have inherited.
First impressions of the Manor are grim and Camille soon realises that there are other forces at work here and she finds herself getting caught up in eerie circumstances that both frighten and intrigue her. Camille soon meets some new friends who she will start year 12 with and together they try and untangle the mystery of what happened at Le Roux Manor over a hundred and fifty years ago.
This book is an absolute page turner, fast paced and edge of seat creepiness that holds your attention until the very last page. I loved this book and could not put it down once I had started it. The characters are very real and the storyline is brilliant, if you love ghostly historical stories you are going to thoroughly enjoy Le Roux Manor.
The teenagers are so likeable and you get caught up in their interactions and friendships all the way through the book. I applaud Liz Butcher for understanding the characters and building up the suspense until you want skip to the end to find out what happened!
Well done Liz for an outstanding read, you had me from page one!
First impressions of the Manor are grim and Camille soon realises that there are other forces at work here and she finds herself getting caught up in eerie circumstances that both frighten and intrigue her. Camille soon meets some new friends who she will start year 12 with and together they try and untangle the mystery of what happened at Le Roux Manor over a hundred and fifty years ago.
This book is an absolute page turner, fast paced and edge of seat creepiness that holds your attention until the very last page. I loved this book and could not put it down once I had started it. The characters are very real and the storyline is brilliant, if you love ghostly historical stories you are going to thoroughly enjoy Le Roux Manor.
The teenagers are so likeable and you get caught up in their interactions and friendships all the way through the book. I applaud Liz Butcher for understanding the characters and building up the suspense until you want skip to the end to find out what happened!
Well done Liz for an outstanding read, you had me from page one!
July 1, 2022
The story was spooky. I was not expecting to have enjoyed it as much as I did. The story is full of mystery murder, the disappearance of characters and a house that is in mysterious all in itself. The story had me racing through it to turn over the mysteries within the book. I had a really hard time putting it down. I felt like I was Alice going through rabbit hole trying to find out what was really going on. I will say that I was confused or most of the story but in a good way
September 6, 2020
The Review
This was a well-written gothic horror story for young readers. This YA hit occult horror read did an amazing job of hitting readers immediately with a creepy and haunting introduction to a centuries-old mystery, then slowly built the tension and the suspense in the modern-day story to keep readers invested throughout.
The imagery used by author Liz Butcher really highlighted the classic gothic horror element of the story, with LaRoux Manor itself becoming so ingrained in the reader’s mind it became a character in its own right. The pacing and imagery all came together thanks to a strong story and fantastic character growth for protagonist Camille and her family and new friends, as she began to uncover the hidden secrets and haunting past of LeRoux Manor.
The Verdict
A powerful, gripping YA Horror novel like no other, author Liz Butcher has established a wonderful tale in “LeRoux Manor”. Blending the great atmospheric nature of a good Gothic horror novel with the modern-day mystery and suspense element made this story shine, and the shocking final chapter will leave readers reeling as the story concludes. Be sure to grab your copy today!
This was a well-written gothic horror story for young readers. This YA hit occult horror read did an amazing job of hitting readers immediately with a creepy and haunting introduction to a centuries-old mystery, then slowly built the tension and the suspense in the modern-day story to keep readers invested throughout.
The imagery used by author Liz Butcher really highlighted the classic gothic horror element of the story, with LaRoux Manor itself becoming so ingrained in the reader’s mind it became a character in its own right. The pacing and imagery all came together thanks to a strong story and fantastic character growth for protagonist Camille and her family and new friends, as she began to uncover the hidden secrets and haunting past of LeRoux Manor.
The Verdict
A powerful, gripping YA Horror novel like no other, author Liz Butcher has established a wonderful tale in “LeRoux Manor”. Blending the great atmospheric nature of a good Gothic horror novel with the modern-day mystery and suspense element made this story shine, and the shocking final chapter will leave readers reeling as the story concludes. Be sure to grab your copy today!
September 1, 2020
You know that’s book’ the one you really want to put down and walk away from but it’s, creepy and thrilling enough that you just can’t!!!
That is LeRoux Manor... omg talk about fast-paced and just amazing and I don;t say that lightly because horror fiction is my least favourite but Liz Butcher is such an amazing author she had me intrigued from page one, hooked by the end of the first chapter, sitting on the edge of my seat for most of this awesome story and a nervous wreck by the finish... oh it was good.
I also love a story with a really good creepy history and the house omg the house...
That is LeRoux Manor... omg talk about fast-paced and just amazing and I don;t say that lightly because horror fiction is my least favourite but Liz Butcher is such an amazing author she had me intrigued from page one, hooked by the end of the first chapter, sitting on the edge of my seat for most of this awesome story and a nervous wreck by the finish... oh it was good.
I also love a story with a really good creepy history and the house omg the house...
September 1, 2020
Leroux manor is a well paced tale that grabs your attention in the first pages.
Liz has once again written a well balanced novel, balancing the story with mystery and intrigue and yet allowing enough room for solid character development.
Leroux Manor is the tale of adolescent Camille as she journeys to a new country, new friends, and the deep dark secrets of her family history.
Leroux Manor was a fast paced story that leaves you wanting more
Liz has once again written a well balanced novel, balancing the story with mystery and intrigue and yet allowing enough room for solid character development.
Leroux Manor is the tale of adolescent Camille as she journeys to a new country, new friends, and the deep dark secrets of her family history.
Leroux Manor was a fast paced story that leaves you wanting more
March 10, 2021
The plot was an interesting one, with mystical portals and secret passages that all kids dream of having in their dream homes... But with a terrifying twist of the manor being haunted.
It is a good read, I felt it was aimed at a younger audience, teen fiction. There's a little bit of romance, a lot of mystery and suspense. Some editing errors but overall it was an enjoyable read.
I received this book for free for an honest review.
It is a good read, I felt it was aimed at a younger audience, teen fiction. There's a little bit of romance, a lot of mystery and suspense. Some editing errors but overall it was an enjoyable read.
I received this book for free for an honest review.
September 13, 2020
An excellent read. Grabs your attention and doesn't let it go.
Camille moves to a new country, and along with the normal teenage issues with settling in - new town, new school, new friends the house itself has a dark history and ~things~ keep happening.
Thoroughly enjoyed this one
Camille moves to a new country, and along with the normal teenage issues with settling in - new town, new school, new friends the house itself has a dark history and ~things~ keep happening.
Thoroughly enjoyed this one
April 15, 2021
A truly good read
Liz Butcher's engaging and clever storylines with fabulously sinister twists and turns to the very very last page. Highly recommended
Liz Butcher's engaging and clever storylines with fabulously sinister twists and turns to the very very last page. Highly recommended
March 3, 2022
You can find this review and all my others over at www.readbookrepeat.wordpress.com
Actual rating of 3.5
When Camille's father inherits a family manor over in Woodville, England, Camille is forced to pack up her life and leave her friends in Australia right before the beginning of her senior year. After arriving at Leroux Manor, Camille spots an old woman lurking about the manor grounds, this spurs her to dive into the family and estate history to find out everything she can about her new home. What she finds shocks her, and her parents, the death of her ancestor, Caleb Leroux, on the grounds of the manor, on the same day that his six year old daughter went missing, never to be seen again. Follow this with the fact that Camille is the only female born to the Leroux line in around 200 years, and things just keep getting weirder. Delving deeper into the secrets hidden in the manor, and her lineage, Camille ends up finding a truth that has the ability to change her life, past, present and future.
I was super excited to dive into this one when I came across is on Off The Book Pages as part of the restock and new release that happened in January (If you're not aware, Off The Book Pages is an indie bookstore located in South Australia). The cover drew me in as did the synopsis, I'm a sucker for a haunted house and one with a huge mystery involved was a sure fire win for me.
This story is young adult, as Camille is either sixteen or seventeen (I can't quite remember the exact age, though I do know she has a birthday in the timeline), I really enjoyed the ease that Camille fell into her group of friends, even though it was quick, it had an air of authenticity that I really enjoyed, so there was no time wasted to set up the friend dynamic, which was nice. I really enjoyed the characters, and I liked that there was a bit of tension between the friendship group, as it just added a little bit extra dynamic to the cast. I do wish that a little more time was spent in fleshing the characters out as, even though I did enjoy them all, they still felt a teeny bit flat to me and I feel like that could have been rectified had the story been a bit longer.
In saying that though, I am glad that this story was unnecessarily dragged out, it was the right length for the story itself to play out without feeling super rushed or dragging, there wasn't any pacing issues with this that I came across and the story kept me super engaged so I smashed it out in a matter of days. I feel like the story could have been delved into a little bit deeper, but then in saying that, sometimes stories are too picked apart in their creation which leaves the reader wishing more things were left to the imagination. The story itself was a solid foundation, I do feel that it wasn't everything that it could have been, but I can't quite put my finger on why. At times the story line felt like it was a little bit all over the place, but it was still easy enough to follow. I did feel that the ending sort of raced up a bit quick and I was really after a bit more of an explanation even though it was pretty clear what had happened. I feel like Butcher was leaving the aftermath up to the readers interpretation, which isn't a bad thing.
My copy of the book did have some printing errors which made for a bit of difficulty with things happening as the story sort of jumped between scenes when it wasn't supposed to, but that didn't affect my rating at all as I just genuinely enjoyed the story for what it was. I feel like this was a great modern, gothic tale that had fun characters and an intriguing mystery, set against the backdrop of a house that is so large in it's existence that it almost felt like the house was a character all of it's own right. It actually made me keep thinking back to Shirly Jackson's Haunting of Hill House in the way that it was written.
All in all, this was a fun read and I really enjoyed the story, mystery and characters. I do wish that there were some answers to things that occurred and I keep thinking about that ending, so I guess you could say, this is a story that will stick in your mind. While I do wish that the story itself was explored deeper and that the characters were given more of a chance to develop and become more fleshed out, I still really enjoyed this story. If you're a fan of gothic ghost stories with a juicy mystery, give this one a go!
Actual rating of 3.5
When Camille's father inherits a family manor over in Woodville, England, Camille is forced to pack up her life and leave her friends in Australia right before the beginning of her senior year. After arriving at Leroux Manor, Camille spots an old woman lurking about the manor grounds, this spurs her to dive into the family and estate history to find out everything she can about her new home. What she finds shocks her, and her parents, the death of her ancestor, Caleb Leroux, on the grounds of the manor, on the same day that his six year old daughter went missing, never to be seen again. Follow this with the fact that Camille is the only female born to the Leroux line in around 200 years, and things just keep getting weirder. Delving deeper into the secrets hidden in the manor, and her lineage, Camille ends up finding a truth that has the ability to change her life, past, present and future.
I was super excited to dive into this one when I came across is on Off The Book Pages as part of the restock and new release that happened in January (If you're not aware, Off The Book Pages is an indie bookstore located in South Australia). The cover drew me in as did the synopsis, I'm a sucker for a haunted house and one with a huge mystery involved was a sure fire win for me.
This story is young adult, as Camille is either sixteen or seventeen (I can't quite remember the exact age, though I do know she has a birthday in the timeline), I really enjoyed the ease that Camille fell into her group of friends, even though it was quick, it had an air of authenticity that I really enjoyed, so there was no time wasted to set up the friend dynamic, which was nice. I really enjoyed the characters, and I liked that there was a bit of tension between the friendship group, as it just added a little bit extra dynamic to the cast. I do wish that a little more time was spent in fleshing the characters out as, even though I did enjoy them all, they still felt a teeny bit flat to me and I feel like that could have been rectified had the story been a bit longer.
In saying that though, I am glad that this story was unnecessarily dragged out, it was the right length for the story itself to play out without feeling super rushed or dragging, there wasn't any pacing issues with this that I came across and the story kept me super engaged so I smashed it out in a matter of days. I feel like the story could have been delved into a little bit deeper, but then in saying that, sometimes stories are too picked apart in their creation which leaves the reader wishing more things were left to the imagination. The story itself was a solid foundation, I do feel that it wasn't everything that it could have been, but I can't quite put my finger on why. At times the story line felt like it was a little bit all over the place, but it was still easy enough to follow. I did feel that the ending sort of raced up a bit quick and I was really after a bit more of an explanation even though it was pretty clear what had happened. I feel like Butcher was leaving the aftermath up to the readers interpretation, which isn't a bad thing.
My copy of the book did have some printing errors which made for a bit of difficulty with things happening as the story sort of jumped between scenes when it wasn't supposed to, but that didn't affect my rating at all as I just genuinely enjoyed the story for what it was. I feel like this was a great modern, gothic tale that had fun characters and an intriguing mystery, set against the backdrop of a house that is so large in it's existence that it almost felt like the house was a character all of it's own right. It actually made me keep thinking back to Shirly Jackson's Haunting of Hill House in the way that it was written.
All in all, this was a fun read and I really enjoyed the story, mystery and characters. I do wish that there were some answers to things that occurred and I keep thinking about that ending, so I guess you could say, this is a story that will stick in your mind. While I do wish that the story itself was explored deeper and that the characters were given more of a chance to develop and become more fleshed out, I still really enjoyed this story. If you're a fan of gothic ghost stories with a juicy mystery, give this one a go!
June 8, 2023
Surprised ending
I enjoyed the story. It was full of imagination, which kept me reading the book. However, I wish that it had better editing.
I enjoyed the story. It was full of imagination, which kept me reading the book. However, I wish that it had better editing.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews